A long time Disney fan turns sour!

[fjm777]

I don’t post here very often but I read the forums all the time. So, believe me when I say I’m not here to stir anything up. I just wanted to relay my thoughts from my recent trip (Dec 10 – 16).

I just got back from my 14th trip to Disney World and I have to say I was disappointed. For the first time ever, I have to say I don’t look forward to going back. My family started going back in 2002 so I may not be a super Disney goer but I have been enough times that I have plenty of experience and have seen things come and go.

We stayed in an Art of Animation Nemo suite. The room was nice enough with a few things wrong … the fridge didn’t work, the remote in the bedroom wouldn’t turn the TV on, the piece that keeps water in the shower from coming out under the door was missing, and a light over the table was blinking. Not terrible things but annoying.

The parks were crowded for an early December trip (10 – 16). However, I knew crowds have been picking up lately so not unexpected. I remember the days when a trip in December meant a walk on, on all rides!

But here is what really got me. Disney is chipping away at its exceptional guest experience. This is the first trip that I CAN'T say felt awesome or magical. I have worked for a large corporation for better than 20 years and they do the same thing. They chip away at their employees until they can no longer give their loyalty. In fact, I have quit that job and moved on. The same thing is happening to Disney. In the past, I would have argued anyone down that Disney was the best vacation a family would ever take. But not anymore. Like at my former job my loyalty to Disney is fading.

So, what is different? I have been thinking about it and this is just some of the things I have come up with.

Fastpass+

This system is not thought out well and I believe has ruined a positive Disney experience for guests. 60 days prior to arrival I logged in to make my fast pass reservations. Much to my surprise there were no Avatar Flight of Passage or Frozen or Seven Dwarf Mine Train fast passes until 5 days into our trip. What? NO fast passes? I finally got a fast pass for Avatar Flight of Passage for a Thursday night but there was one problem with that. We were going to EPCOT that morning. Therefore, we could make no fast passes for EPCOT that day. You can’t have fast passes spanning parks. Also, how am I supposed to know two months in advance what ride I want to ride at what time. This is beyond crazy. People who know me know that I am a big planner. I have multiple spreadsheets and create food lists and all sorts of things. But when it comes down to it, you just can’t always know exactly where you want to be on any particular day and certainly not minute by minute. And heaven forbid you might change your mind and want to go to a park you haven't planned for. I pity the folks who can’t plan the way I do. I bet they don’t get to do anything at Disney with this new system.

In addition, the system of fast passes is driving traffic to other rides. I saw a 40 minute wait for The Land! During a “slow” time, “off season” time there was a 40 minute wait for The Land! Now, I have read on this great forum that Disney wanted to do that. But now there are no rides that have short waits. This can really make for a long day. What do you do when you are waiting for your fast pass. I guess you wait 40 minutes for The Land.


Food

We got the free quick service dining this time. We have had it many times before. We no longer want the table service dining. First everything was covered. Then tips were not covered. Then you no longer could get appetizers. And I don’t know what all may have changed since the last time we had that plan. Can you see the trend? Chipping away at the guest experience until someone like me no longer even wants it. The quick service food is the same way. Disney has streamlined everything. You can get the same hot dog no matter where you go. The thing is I don’t want the same hot dog or hamburger everywhere. The choices are really limited too. I can remember when quick service restaurants had all kinds of choices, including free hot cheese which my daughters loved. Sorry, they don’t have the cheese any more or maybe they do for a buck. (Chipping Away!)


Buses

Don’t even get me started on the buses. Waited 45 minutes on a bus at Disney Springs. Stood on every single bus back and forth from the parks except maybe once. They let every single scooter and their families on the bus FIRST even if I had been waiting there forever and they just pulled up. The driver refused to go until we had so many people standing we couldn’t even move. “Keep moving back! I can see you can still breathing there sir so there must not be enough people on this bus!” If a bus had an accident we would most likely all be dead. If I drove around with no seat belt I would get a ticket. How can they get away with 10000 people on one bus? You talk about not a good guest experience. That may be the worst of them all! Or how about when they drop you off, not at your bus stop, but at no place in particular nowhere close to the park.


Anyway, sorry for my rambling on. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m getting older and I don’t see things the same way I used to. But I won’t be going back for a while. A long, long while. Disney has chipped away at costs and such until they have ruined my guest experience. I don’t pay top dollar to go to Disney so I can go to an average park. If I wanted that I’d going to that other place. They need to get back to what made them great and not just settle for “okay” with a lot more profit.

 

[DisneyDoctor]

I feel like I've read this same post many times before. I realize people are saying "the magic is gone" and "Disney is no longer worth it," but I'd still gladly go. I went in May and had a phenomenal time. Sure, it was busy, but with some good planning and flexibility we never once let the crowds bother us. I genuinely feel bad that you feel your vacation wasn't a good value, that has to be a really rotten feeling, especially at Disney. But, this is becoming sort of a trend. People go to Disney, come back home, log on the forums, and then complain about literally everything. It happens like twice a week. I suppose the magic maybe waning, but maybe we should be more adaptable as well. If Disney has changed so much and everything is horrible there, try new a new place. We live in such a big world, there is so much to be seen besides Disney.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

I will say that not every trip is as "magical" as previous ones, but I have caught myself in mid-complaint during one of those not-so-magical-trips because something wasn't like it was before or it was so very crowded, etc. But this is Disney! Things change and they have to keep up with the times and competition. The parks are expanding and TDC is building new things that will one day get large crowds to disperse in different directions. I guess try looking forward to other trips to Disney in the future. Maybe, have a different perspective next time.This is a thought I always have on exceptionally crowded buses: "Hey, the buses are crowded...but that isn't my gas I'm using. So, win!"

...just sayin'

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Hurricane Irma could have had an impact since families might have cancelled earlier vacations and rescheduled it to early December. We went the first week in a December last year and it was packed. Also, parents seem to pull the kids out for vacations and there isn't a slow season anymore. The Magic Kingdom has special event parties four to five times a week. So, non party days at MK are horrible.

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I disagree with some of your points. First, the food. I actually find the food to be on an upswing. They have had many menu changes over the last 5 years. No, not every restaurant is the same burger and hotdog. I assume you've been eating at Casey's Corner and Starlight Cafe (which both have an improving menu) because those are the only large scale restaurants at MK that are counter service and serve hotdogs and hamburgers. Columbia Harbor House has great seafood, Pecks Bills for Texmex (which is amazing). And that's just at MK! Pandora has amazing food, hell DAK in general has amazing food. The only park with poor food diversity is DHS which won't have that problem come 2019.

I have personally never waited more than 15 minutes for a bus at Disney Springs. I find the bus system to be improving with new stations, monitors and most importantly buses. If you're standing on a bus that means Disney is operating their buses efficiently. Furthermore you mentioned it was crowded, which further explains why you had to stand.

Just my thoughts from my experiences as an AP. For the record I like FP+ as an AP but can understand the frustration when you can't get the ones you want. I think there shouldn't be such a thing as FPs but that is a conversation for a different thread.

 

[Sonconato]

I don’t post here very often but I read the forums all the time. So, believe me when I say I’m not here to stir anything up. I just wanted to relay my thoughts from my recent trip (Dec 10 – 16).

I just got back from my 14th trip to Disney World and I have to say I was disappointed. For the first time ever, I have to say I don’t look forward to going back. My family started going back in 2002 so I may not be a super Disney goer but I have been enough times that I have plenty of experience and have seen things come and go.

We stayed in an Art of Animation Nemo suite. The room was nice enough with a few things wrong … the fridge didn’t work, the remote in the bedroom wouldn’t turn the TV on, the piece that keeps water in the shower from coming out under the door was missing, and a light over the table was blinking. Not terrible things but annoying.

The parks were crowded for an early December trip (10 – 16). However, I knew crowds have been picking up lately so not unexpected. I remember the days when a trip in December meant a walk on, on all rides!

But here is what really got me. Disney is chipping away at its exceptional guest experience. This is the first trip that I CAN'T say felt awesome or magical. I have worked for a large corporation for better than 20 years and they do the same thing. They chip away at their employees until they can no longer give their loyalty. In fact, I have quit that job and moved on. The same thing is happening to Disney. In the past, I would have argued anyone down that Disney was the best vacation a family would ever take. But not anymore. Like at my former job my loyalty to Disney is fading.

So, what is different? I have been thinking about it and this is just some of the things I have come up with.

Fastpass+

This system is not thought out well and I believe has ruined a positive Disney experience for guests. 60 days prior to arrival I logged in to make my fast pass reservations. Much to my surprise there were no Avatar Flight of Passage or Frozen or Seven Dwarf Mine Train fast passes until 5 days into our trip. What? NO fast passes? I finally got a fast pass for Avatar Flight of Passage for a Thursday night but there was one problem with that. We were going to EPCOT that morning. Therefore, we could make no fast passes for EPCOT that day. You can’t have fast passes spanning parks. Also, how am I supposed to know two months in advance what ride I want to ride at what time. This is beyond crazy. People who know me know that I am a big planner. I have multiple spreadsheets and create food lists and all sorts of things. But when it comes down to it, you just can’t always know exactly where you want to be on any particular day and certainly not minute by minute. And heaven forbid you might change your mind and want to go to a park you haven't planned for. I pity the folks who can’t plan the way I do. I bet they don’t get to do anything at Disney with this new system.

In addition, the system of fast passes is driving traffic to other rides. I saw a 40 minute wait for The Land! During a “slow” time, “off season” time there was a 40 minute wait for The Land! Now, I have read on this great forum that Disney wanted to do that. But now there are no rides that have short waits. This can really make for a long day. What do you do when you are waiting for your fast pass. I guess you wait 40 minutes for The Land.


Food

We got the free quick service dining this time. We have had it many times before. We no longer want the table service dining. First everything was covered. Then tips were not covered. Then you no longer could get appetizers. And I don’t know what all may have changed since the last time we had that plan. Can you see the trend? Chipping away at the guest experience until someone like me no longer even wants it. The quick service food is the same way. Disney has streamlined everything. You can get the same hot dog no matter where you go. The thing is I don’t want the same hot dog or hamburger everywhere. The choices are really limited too. I can remember when quick service restaurants had all kinds of choices, including free hot cheese which my daughters loved. Sorry, they don’t have the cheese any more or maybe they do for a buck. (Chipping Away!)


Buses

Don’t even get me started on the buses. Waited 45 minutes on a bus at Disney Springs. Stood on every single bus back and forth from the parks except maybe once. They let every single scooter and their families on the bus FIRST even if I had been waiting there forever and they just pulled up. The driver refused to go until we had so many people standing we couldn’t even move. “Keep moving back! I can see you can still breathing there sir so there must not be enough people on this bus!” If a bus had an accident we would most likely all be dead. If I drove around with no seat belt I would get a ticket. How can they get away with 10000 people on one bus? You talk about not a good guest experience. That may be the worst of them all! Or how about when they drop you off, not at your bus stop, but at no place in particular nowhere close to the park.


Anyway, sorry for my rambling on. Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m getting older and I don’t see things the same way I used to. But I won’t be going back for a while. A long, long while. Disney has chipped away at costs and such until they have ruined my guest experience. I don’t pay top dollar to go to Disney so I can go to an average park. If I wanted that I’d going to that other place. They need to get back to what made them great and not just settle for “okay” with a lot more profit.

I agree with you in a lot of ways. In my opinion, several things are at play. Unfortunately, when you planned your trip, December 17 was the last day for seasonal passholders. I personally think that implementing a monthly payment plan for Floridians and giving all passes free parking has caused quite an increase. This is just my opinion. MK is complete chaos because there are so many Christmas parties now that there are only a few days that the park is open late. This makes the days without parties crowded beyond comprehension. My only solace is AK; I like animals and not too fond of thrill rides. I hope with the few additions coming to MK, it will somehow help matters.

 

[Herdman]

You definitely have to do your research and plan, plan, plan. I look at predicted crowd levels as a general guideline, pick which days we'll be at each park, make my dining ADR's right at the 180 day mark, start working on touring plans leading up to my 60 day FP+ window, make my fastpasses at my 60 day mark for as close as I can to the plans I created, then adjust from there with the times I actually get. If you have been keeping up with the forums here you have probably seen that you can't get FoP FP+ for at least 4-5 days into your trip. We are planning on going to the AK on our 5th full day of our upcoming trip to hopefully be successful at our 60 day mark.

It certainly would be frustrating for people who don't do any planning, but I absolutely love doing it. Our family always gets a good laugh when we are planning our dining choices and we say "what do you think you'll want to eat 6 months from now?".

 

[Raineman]

Katiebug?

 

[DisneyDoctor]

Apologizes in advance for everyone who will soon sweep in and call you a liar, hater, among others. It's true, most of it anyway, WDW just isn't as magical as it used to be. We still enjoy going as a family when they visit and as a local i go frequently, but it has become sort of like a cherry on top kind of deal.

Lol not once have I seen that language been used on this forum. A little extreme of you to take the moral high ground before anyone has said anything negative about OP. I disagreed with him/her, but I didn't use that type language, and I'm sure the vast majority of people on here who disagree with OP won't use that language either. Why anticipate the negativity?

 

[DisneyDoctor]

I've never understood how people don't enjoy themselves on vacation. As a child, vacations came maybe once every 4 years. It could've rained every day and been crowded, but if I was at Disney I was happy. I'm not saying OP is this way, but I think some people are much too privileged for their own good. Seriously, enjoy the fact that you're on vacation with loved ones. There are a lot of children who's parents can't afford a trip to Disney.

 

[StarshipDisney]

This makes me concerned about our planed trip in December 2018. I am a very long term planner but was not aware that FOP Fastpasses would be gone at the 60-day mark. I had planned AK for our first day...now I wonder if I should do that because I want to ride FOP. Last trip (2016) I had no issues getting multiple FP for Seven Dwarves Mine Train at the 60-day mark.

This presents a significant problem in that ADRs must be made 180-days in advance. So if you get a ADR on a day when no FP availability at the 60-day mark, it's not so easy to change park days around. I guess that if I don't get to ride FOP due to no FP availability then yes that will certainly lower the trip. I have vowed never again to wait in any Disney line over 30 minutes.

We are also trying a new resort in Port Orleans Riverside. But I have heard plenty of horror stories about the bus service there and the 4 each bus stops....so wondering if I may as well drive to a park each day and just avoid the buses altogether. We may try a bus the first day and see how bad it is.

I first visited in 1973 and must simply agree that Disney is not as magical as it once was. But hopefully our visit next December won't be as bad as you described yours. Best wishes.

 

[Clyde Birdbrain]

Unfortunately, when you planned your trip, December 17 was the last day for seasonal passholders.

Yes, this! We were at MK on December 16 and it was insanely busy. We're passholders and have been about 35 times this year and this was the busiest we've seen it this year. We often use mobile ordering and when getting a Dole Whip at Aloha Isle there was a line of maybe 50 people with "Ready for pick-up" that almost wrapped around Tiki Room and the hub was closed off for new people an hour before HEA. It was crazy.

And as I write this I realize that as a passholder I was part of the problem by going the last day before blockout.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Not every trip will be perfect. My most recent trip this past October was TERRIBLE but my trip prior to that in July was the BEST I had ever had!! So I mean... Just some tough luck sometimes.

 

[Surfin' Tuna]

As much as we Disney lovers might hate to admit it, there are some valid points here. It is not as magical as it once was, but that can be said of just about every vacation. The CM's still do a heck of a job of making it as magical as they can, and I rarely go a day without seeing one of them make the extra effort. Is the lack of support and funding from management chipping away at the experience for us and the work environment for them? Yes and yes.

But that all being said. I cannot remember a time when there was a walk-on at every ride. I have no idea what "hot cheese" is that used to be free at all quick service restaurants. Hotel rooms have items break; did the make them right?

I will agree completely that in some ways it seems less special. It is still above average if you look at the other amusement/theme parks across the country, but the things that really made it shine seem to have lost a little something. I will continue to go far more often than I probably should; I still love the place.

 

[POLY LOVER]

If you defend the incredible shrinking Disney experience you actually encourage more of it. Pointing out and calling them on the shrinking experience will hopefully make them respect their guests more and improve. I think their expansion into so many businesses has hurt them, they can no longer focus they way they use to on the parks. Heres to improvement, here's to the 'be our guest put our service to the test' bringing it back.

 

[DisneyDoctor]

This makes me concerned about our planed trip in December 2018. I am a very long term planner but was not aware that FOP Fastpasses would be gone at the 60-day mark. I had planned AK for our first day...now I wonder if I should do that because I want to ride FOP. Last trip (2016) I had no issues getting multiple FP for Seven Dwarves Mine Train at the 60-day mark.

This presents a significant problem in that ADRs must be made 180-days in advance. So if you get a ADR on a day when no FP availability at the 60-day mark, it's not so easy to change park days around. I guess that if I don't get to ride FOP due to no FP availability then yes that will certainly lower the trip. I have vowed never again to wait in any Disney line over 30 minutes.

We are also trying a new resort in Port Orleans Riverside. But I have heard plenty of horror stories about the bus service there and the 4 each bus stops....so wondering if I may as well drive to a park each day and just avoid the buses altogether. We may try a bus the first day and see how bad it is.

I first visited in 1973 and must simply agree that Disney is not as magical as it once was. But hopefully our visit next December won't be as bad as you described yours. Best wishes.

One could make an argument that the world, not just Disney world, isn't as magical as it was in 1973, almost 45 years ago. I often wonder if the increasing negative climate that has so heavily affected the way we function as a society has anything to do with all the negative comments we see online. The comments aren't just about Disney, either. It seems like everyone has something to complain about all the time, myself included. We're so stressed all the time from work and life in general. Couple that with the countless negative stories we see in the media and on social media, and it's tough to imagine anyone being happy about anything!

 

[DisneyDoctor]

If you defend the incredible shrinking Disney experience you actually encourage more of it. Pointing out and calling them on the shrinking experience will hopefully make them respect their guests more and improve. I think their expansion into so many businesses has hurt them, they can no longer focus they way they use to on the parks. Heres to improvement, here's to the 'be our guest put our service to the test' bringing it back.

The big problem is crowds though. At least, that's what I gather from everyone complaining on the forums. How would calling them out on crowds do anything? They've done their job, and very well to that point. They've become so popular that there is no longer a slow time. I can't imagine a better business model for a vacation destination. Sure, they could pick up the pace on expansions and make some other small tweaks here and there. But, for the most part, I don't think Disney sees big crowds as a problem.

 

[Duckberg]

I understand where the original poster is coming from on his stated points. Paying more for a decreasing experience after many visits to the World can lead to wallet closure/goodbye WDW .

 

[John park hopper]

I must admit the crowds at WDW at times are ridiculous. Which got me thinking when I first visited in 1972 there were not the crowds (there were not the international vacationers either) but in 1972 the US population was 207 million (FL 7 million) and today the population is 323 million (FL 20 million). Ever increasing crowds it seems will continue as there are simply more people and as others have posted Disney has done an excellent job in attracting more people -- DVC and more resorts. Until the crowds effect Disneys bottom line crowds will be a Disney fact of life so get used to it complaining won't change it

 

[goofy5380]

I do agree totally with your post. My wife and I were there from Oct 19 to Nov 3 and every day seemed at every park was maxed out people wise.
A zillion scooters horrible long lines for everything transportation etc....and hardly any fast past availability. The magic is GONE for us.
This was our 14 trip as well. We honeymooned there in 77 and have been back 13 times since. September and October used to be times we would go and have NO issues with lines of any sort. Disney has looked out more its investors than the paying public. Because of the mobs the parks seem very small now and really not worth my time and hard earned dough anymore.
If they would just keep expanding the size of the parks to fit all the people I might consider going again.
CM's seemed at there wit's end as well. Not many smiling friendly ones the 15 days we were there.
Very disappointing to say the least....